TO REACH US - Allegheny West Magazine

BY PAT JENNETTEPHOTOS BY JJDirt Biker Tracking His Way to SuccessPatrick Cappetta has been featured in “American MotorCyclist” (May 2010 issue) and “The Racing Paper” (March/April2010 issue). The latter features Patrick’s name on its cover and afour-age article inside.What is so newsworthy that this young man from NorthFayette Township makes such national headlines?Patrick is the third generation of his family to compete in dirtbike riding.Known as #88 on the track (which the generations share astheir identifying number), Patrick started riding, said his dad, JeffCappetta, when he was six years old.“He went so fast on his bike, a Yamaha 50 cc, that we had toget him a faster bike, which was a Husqvarna SR 50 cc,” Jeffexplains.Being inspired by the sport of bike riding was a natural forPatrick. His grandfather, Bud Norton, of Oakdale, got the familyinvolved back in the 70s and 80s when he would take his son,Buddy, and Jeff’s brother, John, for bike rides. They were in theirearly teens then. Bud had a passion for all things sports. However,it was those rides with his sons that got him hooked on dirt bikeriding.He began riding for fun and soon became friends with a groupof guys who often talked about racing “enduros.” For thelayperson, the word “enduro” is an abbreviation for endurance.Enduro events are very long, requiring quite a bit of endurance tocomplete many miles.Bud was told that he was a good rider by the guys. Among thatgroup of guys was Bill Kain, a national enduro champion, andRon Bohn, who was the ISDT gold and national enduro championas well. The guys talked Bud into racing an enduro in Ohio. Bud’sdirk bike riding career continued, and he went on to compete inraces around the nation, becoming known as among the best dirtbike riders around.Patrick was inspired to pursue dirt bike riding because of theinfluence of his grandfather, and of his uncles, John Cappetta,#452, and Buddy Norton, #88. Both John and Buddy competed inriding, winning a lot of races at district and national events.Seeing family members riding their dirt bikes was part of Patrick’supbringing. He was around biking since he could remember. Hisgranddad, Bud, now 74 (and only retiring from riding five yearsago), would regale him with his many stories. It was this one thinghe said, though, which would impact on Patrick and his future as athird-generation rider, “The more seat time you have the better arider you will become.”Now a junior at West Allegheny High School, Patrick has givenup all of his other sports activities, which included football, karate,and golf, to pursue his passion for dirt bike riding.In just four short years, Patrick ridden much of the circuit,literally.In 2008 he competed in 34 races in four series. He also competedin flat track and motocross. Last year he surpassed his riding recordby competing in 37 races and three series as well as flat track andmotocross.Patrick was honored to be asked last year as a guest rider at theLoretta Lynn race. He also went to Las Vegas last summer whereHusqvarna unveiled their 2010 bikes to more than 300 dealers.Patrick’s name was mentioned at the event by Scot Harden,ABOVE: The number “88” holds specialmeaning among the members of this dirt bikingfamily. Jeff Cappetta explains, “It wasn’t untilour brothers introduced my wife and me in1989; her name was Patty Norton and herfather’s name is Bud Norton, Sr. They lived inthe suburbs of Whitehall at 88 Skyvue Driveand I lived in Robinson Township at 88 FawnvueDrive. The addresses of our homes were #88,and is the same number used by my father-inlawand brother-in-law and now by my son.”RIGHT: Bud Norton, Sr., a 40-year dirt bikerider, now retired, with his grandson, PatrickCappetta, with their bikes in front of Patrick’stravel trailer.66 Allegheny West Magazine June 2010